In the Christian faith, one of the central teachings is the idea of serving God and others around you. Believers are expected to serve each other and the church with great joy and happiness, which is an idea that is constantly repeated throughout scripture and the Bible. “Love one another, care for one another, pray for one another”. The list goes on. When I think of the principle of service and its importance in the Christian community very few people come to my mind as quickly as Mr Dominic O’Hara.
Tragedy recently struck our community at Omagh CBS, upon the passing of Mr O’Hara and to say that our school had lost an important figure would be an understatement. Mr O’Hara was many things, a teacher, a father, a trusted colleague, but in particular, he was a loyal servant of God. He dedicated his life to educating generations of young men at Christian Brothers’ Grammar School, Omagh and lit the fire of faith.
Matthew 5:16 states “Don’t hide your light! Let it shine brightly before others, so that the commendable things you do will shine as light upon them.” I believe that this is an excellent summary of the type of person Mr O’Hara was. His lessons were full of fun, laughter and his love of music helped to bring the faith of our pupils alive in the classroom and beyond. Outside the classroom, he continued to be so generous with his time. His creativity coupled with competitive streak ensured success for many young men in The Young Enterprise Scheme. He was a keen Master of Ceremonies at school shows and a DJ on Sports Days providing additional entertainment with his eclectic taste in music! Not only was he a faithful servant of God, but he did so with great joy which was infectious to all those who were lucky enough to cross his path.
In a time of loss and sadness for his family, friends, colleagues and students, the tales of his joy and laughter helped to bring light to this period of darkness. In this season of Advent, his light will always shine brightly guiding us by his example.
“A great teacher is hard to find, difficult to let go and impossible to forget.”
Ryan Colton is Head Boy, Christian Brothers Grammar School, Omagh.
